Earth science news covering geology, seismology, volcanology, plate tectonics, and planetary surface processes.
Volcanologist Bill McGuire warns that a future flank collapse at Spain's Cumbre Vieja volcano could generate a transatlantic megatsunami reaching the US East Coast within nine hours. While simulations predict 65-foot waves, experts stress the event is likely centuries away.
A Nature study proposes that deep Earth mantle currents uplifted continents over hundreds of millions of years, enabling glacial erosion that created the Great Unconformity. This challenges previous theories attributing the geologic gap primarily to Snowball Earth glaciation.
This piece explains the geological formation of Utah's Goosenecks State Park, detailing how uplift of the Colorado Plateau intensified the San Juan River's erosive power. It describes the resulting entrenched meanders and features an astronaut photograph capturing the stark desert topography near Lake Powell.
A new geological study led by Professor Duncan Pirrie rules out north-east Scotland as the origin of Stonehenge's Altar Stone, overturning previous theories. The research narrows potential sources, with experts noting that eliminating locations is crucial for identifying the stone's true provenance.
BBC News reports that research from the University of Colorado indicates penguin guano accelerates Antarctic ice melt. The waste fertilizes snow algae, which turns green and absorbs more solar energy than red algae, leading to faster localized melting in nutrient-rich areas near colonies.
This commentary summarizes a study linking ancient Roman farming to severe tsunami risks in Northern Italy's Lake Iseo. It argues that centuries of agricultural sediment accumulation, exacerbated by deforestation, created unstable slopes capable of generating 50-meter waves, posing an immediate threat to local residents.